Japanese naval sword price check

[samurai1]

Checking to see if sword is worth the money the seller wants $3900. plus shipping? old sword , repolished, custom navy mounts,

[samurai1]

more pics

[mdiddy]

Looks like a nice old sword in complete naval mounts. What's the length?

 

Check out the updated pic. I'd want to investigate that if I were you.

[samurai1]

Here is how he list item, The blade is an old family blade that has been mounted many times through the years as the tang illustrates. Blade is about 23.6" in length o'suriage. It was professionaly polished in the 1980s. Has just a few old minor forging flaws that one would expect on an old blade. Saya is same saya and is in excellent condition just a few small nicks from use but no peeling of the rayskin like one usually sees. One of the hangers on the saya slides around and I put a small piece of paper underneathe to hold. You could probably glue the piece down but I prefer to leave things untouched. Where the loose hanger was once held down there is an old small repair to the rayskin (repair is very well done & can't see it when the hanger is in normal position but want to reveal any and all flaws to the buyer). Rank tassel is original to the piece and attached via doeskin. Was told picked up by UK officer in SE Asia. Has silver family mon on menuki. Saya is about 7" longer than blade but this is how it was acquired in combat and the saya and blade fit perfectly as they were made for each other. Other than the 1 loose hanger the only other damage is that the habaki is split along the bottom seam. One could easily glue it or place a small copper weld on it. Overall, nice piece and very rare to have an old blade in kai gunto naval mounts. Much more common to see old blades in army mounts. Price is $4250 plus insured tracked shipping. **Reduced to $3900 plus insured tracked shipping. No paypal on this one. International buyers must use wire transfer and pay any bank fees on my end. I will list custom forms with correct price tag on it.

[kusunokimasahige]

"wire transfer and pay any bank fees on my end. I will list custom forms with correct price tag on it."

 

 

SPELLS DANGER TO ME !!!

 

KM

 

Bank to bank transfer ok, wire transfer is very very much not ok!!

[mdiddy]

Even with more than the limited info (pics + description) you have, a discussion on pricepoint would be arbitrary at best, but here are some add'l thoughts I would consider if I were thinking of purchasing this sword:

 

1. What I see: 60cm nagasa, shallow sori; masame hada in shinogiji, mokume/itame in ji, hada has a whitish tint? (could be lighting); hamon in nioi w/ togari; coarse hada, hairline 'something' in pic kag14. Would be nice to see pic kag16a w/o habaki. My unqualified completely subjective kantei is late koto Mino – hardly a magical guess btw.

 

2. I would want some detailed pictures of all 'old minor forging flaws' and I would reiterate figuring out what the hairline 'something’ in pic kag14 is.

 

3. If pricepoint is subjective we can still do some objective math. The tassle should be worth $100-200 and assuming an amateur polish at $50-60/inch X 24in would be $1200-1500. Subtract that from the price, so would you justify spending $2200-2600 for an out of shape late koto blade in very nice Kai Gunto fittings?

 

4. A picture is worth 1000 words, but for 3900 clams I'd rather inspect a sword in person. Assuming you and the seller are not next door neighbors then what's an afternoon's drive or a $300 plane ticket to be able to fully inspect. If I were spending my hard earned $$ then I would have no qualms with either.

 

If you like it, then buy it and enjoy it. I think my point is get more info and complete due diligence on time-period/school/smith/condition yourself so you don’t feel like you missed something once you walk away with it (or listened to the wrong opinion).

[samurai1]

Thank you for all your advice walking away from this sword .

I just started collecting WWII Japanese Navy swords only and as a newbie I asks before I jump in to big ticket item. Is it a true statment about not many hand made or family blades in Kai-gunto mounts? and if a true statement Any theories why?

[Gunome]

Hi,

 

1. What I see: 60cm nagasa, shallow sori; masame hada in shinogiji, mokume/itame in ji, hada has a whitish tint? (could be lighting); hamon in nioi w/ togari; coarse hada, hairline 'something' in pic kag14. Would be nice to see pic kag16a w/o habaki. My unqualified completely subjective kantei is late koto Mino – hardly a magical guess btw.

 

Or maybe shinto : fukura is not round, shallow sori and masame in shinogi-ji ?

 

So to summarize : a short O suriage blade, shinto or sue koto, with a doubt on kizu (see mdiddy's photo => maybe an hagire ?) and hard hada ... :?

 

Sebastien

[Kiipu]

Several noteworthly features on this old thread.  Take a look at the habaki and mekugi.

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, Kiipu said:

Several noteworthly features on this old thread.  Take a look at the habaki and mekugi.

Only thing that would have made it better, is if it had a Mantetsu blade in it!